Most people think that Airsoft replicas are toys and in a way, yes, yes they are. And really expensive ones too. Airsoft is just a new age Team sport. Yes, I called it a sport, because you do a lot of running, jumping, sneaking and a little bit of shooting. A lot of teamwork is involved. Basically, it's a war simulation, where no one gets killed or hurt if you wear the right protection. But that doesn't mean it's not painful. It hurts when a 6 mm plastic ball with a speed of 350 feet per second hits you. In a way, it's much like paintball. If you ever played one of those two you know what it is about. To rephrase: no pain, no game. Planty of people are playing this sport: from ex-gamers to military personnel for practice purposes. War veterans that suffer from PTSD are playing it, believe or not it is their therapy. There a lot of veterans in Croatia playing it every weekend. There are lots of game tips like capture the flag, team deathmatch, conquest or zombie panic.

A bit of History

Airsoft is a Japanese sport that began to develop in the early 70's. Slowly it became a huge success and spread across the world. In the 1980's the first airsoft guns were available in the UK, but back then you had to assemble the gun yourself.

Manufacturers

When it comes to Airsoft brands you will be amazed how many manufacturers are out there. The king country of all airsoft brands, both affordable and expansive, is Taiwan. It's the centre for so many brands. Making an airsoft replica with the 1 to 1 ratio is half of the job. It is the details that everyone is looking for and that would make the markings. Real steel marking is the final touch on an airsoft replica. These Markings are not something you can easily put on a gun, you need a licence from the real steel manufacturers. Even real weapon brands are making their own replicas like Heckler and Koch. Some of the leading brands in the business are G&G, G&P, Tokyo Marui, KWA, ICS, VFC. There are so many brands in this industry I won't mention them all, but only to paint you the picture there are 60 of them, give or take a few. When it comes to materials, there a plenty to choose for. They are replicas, after all, but they are not always replicated to the teeth. The replicas can be made from polymer, wood, aluminium, zink and cheap diecast metal. The choice of the material is what keeps the price up or down.

What are Airsoft pallets a.k.a. BBs?

Airsoft pellets are spherical projectiles used by airsoft replica guns. They are typically made of plastic and they usually measure around 6 mm in diameter (though it can vary as can the weigh) and weigh 0.12–0.48 g. Though frequently referred to as "BBs" among airsoft users, these pellets are not the same as the 4.5 mm metal projectiles that BB guns fire, nor the 4.6 mm (0.180 in)-sized birdshot from which the term "BB" originated.

What makes an Airsoft gun shoot BBs

There are many systems that make the rifle or pistol shoot a 6mm nonmetal BBs. The speeds of the flying BB are regulated by the role one is playing or field that one is playing on. For example, if you have a sniper rifle that has 520 FPS, you can not shoot players if therein range of 30 meters or less. So no gun is allowed on a field if it has a high FPS rate like 600. These are toy guns but things can get lethal when getting a high Feet Per Second. So what drives that plastic BB true the air? In most cases it's air. There is also propane or green gas and you can use CO2 for a propellant too. So let's cover the air systems first.

The spring system

The most simple system is the spring system. It is the most simple and easy to operate with. This system covers all kinds of gun types, pistols, rifles, machine guns, shotguns and SMGs. But then, in my opinion, only the shotgun and A bolt action rifles justifiably use the spring. No full auto mode on this one. By reloading a BB into the chamber you cock the spring back and it relies on it by trigger pull.

The AEG system

This is the most used system in the world. There are so many replicas in it out there, it is insane. The AEG platform is a combination of the spring system and a high torque electric motor and some gear. All that fun is powered by batteries. The bad thing about an AEG is the sound it makes, something like a toy electric drill. The early models of AEGs had a small downside regarding the trigger response. The lag of trigger pull and system response to shooting the bb out was big. Thankfully, with an electronic upgrade, the lag is almost gone. This system is the best for beginners and it is easy to use and to operate with. Affordable too in most cases. You have fully functional fire now and more to select from, from single to full auto mode. When it comes to ammo this platform is the king. Buy a high capacity magazine with 300 to 500 bb and you are good to go the entire day. If you are more of a mil-slim ( military simulation) type there are mags that hold 30 or 60 bbs, so you can mimic the tactical reload you see in PC games or action movies. There are some really good enter levels offers that include battery and charger with the gun. But you know what it means when you buy the cheap stuff.

The Gas Blowback system

These replacements are my favourite, due to the realism and the blowback feature. There are also non-blowback ones which are gas efficient. It is a different system then the AEG, no batteries to make the gunshot. There are a lot of gun types that are using the system bolt action: rifles, pistols, SMG, shotguns and revolvers. Some of them have a blowback and some do not. The propellant for all of those is the common propane gas you use for cooking, but it's generally not recommend. It's because of its nasty smell and its dryness. Using green gas, which is the most common propellant, is basically the same thing as propane but it does not have the nasty smell and has a synthetic lubricant in it. The downside of green gas is that it has a lousy performance in cold environments. But no fear,r CO2 is here, also used for the GBB system that performs in all weather conditions like trodden Taft. These replicas are most similar to the real thing, it operates just the same. A full travelling boult is loading the bbs into the chamber. The ammo capacity is like in some real steel ones. 30 round. That is because of the magazine that houses the gas tank. Mantic is a pain in the butt. Lots of moving parts, friction and dirt or debris. This system is the most expensive one from gun to magazine and gas. They have a good kick but a lousy sound but are, overall, better than the AEGs.

The Hybrids or HPA

HPA stands for High-pressure air. This is the most expansive direction to go. The thing is you can buy those from the store or assemble them yourself. It is a unique set up that uses a paintball air tank and your GBBR. Some slit modifications are made to the magazine and you never have to bother with green gas again. There are also many third-party manufacturers like Daytona HPA kit, that has a good, or maybe even the best product on the market. With it, you transform your AEG into a GBBR. Plus there is no need for special mags you can use your old ones. The upside with this Hybrids is you always have a consistent shooting experience. Every shot like the first one and the last one are the same. GBBR have the problem that the last couple of a round is getting weaker. That's because the gas pressure in the little container is getting lower and lower. If you're not into fine tuning you can always get an HPA airsoft gun.

Hand grants and mines

Airsoft is around for more than 40 years and the airsoft industry is ever-evolving, inventing new toys every year like grenades, mines or rocket launchers. The first grenades were firecrackers, with the authentic sound, but there is always the question of if it is a hit or not. Today you can purchase grenades that you fill up with gas and bbs. Once activated is spreads bbs in every direction. It’s the same with mines, you have to step on them to activate it and get a bb shower. But, if you have the money, you can even buy replica explosives with a remote detonator.

All pictures were taken from the internet.

Thanks for the attention, support and comments!

Real airsoft review incoming.